Neurologic music therapy techniques : a systematic review of current research.

Abstract

The purpose of this systematic review was to identify clinical research studying neurologic music therapy (NMT) and non-NMT techniques and identify which techniques are more commonly researched. Thaut (2008) describes NMT as the use of standardized treatment techniques as interventions that are founded on scientific research. The success of NMT is evidenced by clinical research. The techniques of NMT provide the therapeutic application of music to cognitive, sensory, and motor dysfunctions used as a method to treat neurologic disease. This systematic review identifies studies related to music therapy to support the various NMT techniques. For the purposes of this study, non-NMT music therapy articles follow similar protocol to NMT with no mention of NMT. Study questions are: (1) Which techniques are more commonly researched? (2) Is there a difference between NMT research and non-NMT research that studies the clinical effects of NMT techniques? (3) Which NMT techniques are more researched and developed after NMT was founded? And, (4) Which studies predate NMT? Conclusions revealed that several NMT techniques are minimally researched, and the author could find no clinical research using Symbolic Communication Training through Music (SYCOM). Also identified were several studies that predate the founding year (1999) of NMT. Recommendations include ongoing NMT research to further justify its effectiveness in medical settings, with attention to the least researched techniques.